17 Washington Capitals

The grunting coming out of the Capitals practice facility thesedays is a far more pleasant sound to Washington fans than thecries of "Ouch!" that echoed throughout last season. In 1998-99the Caps lost a staggering 511 man-games to injury. In June,Washington dismissed trainer Stan Wong, who had been with theCapitals since 1986-87, and though general manager George McPheesays the firing was "not an attempt to assess blame," he wasdelighted to bring in Greg Smith, who last season was thetrainer for the Ducks, the team that lost the NHL's fewestman-games to injury (98).

From the start of camp Smith had the Caps stretching and ridingstationary bikes before they took the ice each day. Afterpractice the players tossed around medicine balls and enduredgrueling abdominal workouts. "We're doing things as apreventative so that we don't have to do them in rehab," sayscoach Ron Wilson. "The guys don't mind. They'd run a marathonevery day if they thought it could turn us around."

When Washington's players arrived in camp last season they werecoming off a run to the Stanley Cup finals (where they wereswept by the Red Wings) and had high hopes of returning. Byearly October forwards Steve Konowalchuk, Michal Pivonka and JanBulis were injured. As the season limped on, one key playerafter another--from premier center Adam Oates to top defensemanMark Tinordi--missed a lot of time. The Capitals wound up31-45-6 and out of the playoffs. "One injury led to another,"says Wilson. "Guys who had to fill in got worn down. Then theygot injured too."

Wilson is trying to phase young players like Bulis, 21, andJaroslav Svejkovsky, 22, into prominent roles. But with Oates,sniper Peter Bondra, veteran defensemen Sergei Gonchar and CalleJohansson, and always aggressive, sometimes brilliant goaltenderOlaf Kolzig, Washington hasn't changed much from last year--orfrom the team that went to the finals 16 months ago. If healthy,the club could challenge for the title in the Southeast Division.

The most significant change outside of the trainer's roomoccurred when a group led by America Online executive TedLeonsis bought the Capitals in June. Leonsis, who has mademillions at the internet company, knows that America on line isnot how you would describe attendance at Washington home games.The Caps sometimes play before small and listless crowds, andLeonsis has vowed to change that, in part by increasing hisplayers' visibility. It's a good idea--so long as the playersare healthy.

--Kostya Kennedy

FAST FACT

Defenseman Sergei Gonchar (13 power-play goals, 10 assists) wasthe only NHL player last season with as many as 10 power-playgoals and as few as 10 assists.

INSIDER

CATEGORY SI RANKING SKINNY

OFFENSE 22 Must find more help for BondraDEFENSE 15 Mental game needs to catch up to physical skillsGOALTENDING 8 Kolzig can single-handedly keep team in gamesSPECIAL TEAMS 20 Hunter, Miller will be missed on penalty killing unitCOACHING 19 Wilson needs to rekindle spirit of fragile team